A More Perfect House Plan TBAA crossover
by Me
Summary: Angels work in the events surrounding Pam's death. Crossover with Tocuhed By An Angel


Pam Tanner raced into the living room. The doting mother of three shouted "quick,  
Stephanie, come and see this," and her five-year-old daughter hurriedly obeyed.  
The two ran outside. Stephanie felt the water on her face as it drizzled down from the sky.   
"It's still raining, Mommy."  
"Yes, it is, dear," came Pam, paying more attention to the sunshine. "Oh, look!" Both  
looked, and got very excited. "Look, there it is, a rainbow!"  
Stephanie bounced jubilantly. "I see it, Mommy! God paints such beautiful pictures."  
"He sure does."  
Pam grinned broadly. She loved sharing exciting things like this with her three girls. She  
wanted to be the best mother possible. It seemed things were the most wonderful they had ever  
been now that her oldest, Donna Jo, whom they called DJ, was off school. Michelle had been  
cooing up a storm latley, at seven months of age, and her two oldest were enjoying such great fun  
with Pam at the start of this summer.  
Stephanie asked her mom "What's it like up in Heaven?"  
The family didn't attend church all the time, but they did quite often. They found great joy in  
thinking of God's love, mercy, and forgiveness. Pam's 24-year-old brother's favorite phrase was  
"have mercy," though he used it mostly when kissing pretty ladies. They knew some Bible  
lessons, and Pam tried to share those with her girls. Her favorite thing was making up fun and  
exciting stories, though.  
She guessed her middle daughter wanted to hear one of those stories about Heaven, but right  
now Pam felt it best to tell the truth. Nobody could describe it, it was so great. "Nobody has  
seen, or heard, or even imagined the wonders that await us."  
"Wow! Oh, Mommy, it would be so fun to go there someday," the girl shrieked with glee.  
"We can't go there in this life," Pam remarked, trying her best to impart some truth to her.   
"We have to receive Christ's forgivness and mercy and wait till the end." She added the thing she  
found most important after that. "For now, we have to show His love here. By giving away  
smiles."  
Soon, the two were sharing incredibly broad grins with each other.  
  
It was soon time for Stephanie's and DJ's dance classes. The girls enjoyed their Thursday  
lessons during the summer as a break from the routine of playing all day. They met Monica, a  
lady with long, flowing, auburn hair.  
"The normal dance instructor will be out for a couple weeks, I'll be filling in. I'm Monica,"  
came the angel with an Irish accent.  
Normally a search and rescue angel, Monica was on her way to becoming a helps angel. She  
couldn't handle entire assignments on her own, but with Tess, a dark skinned angel with curly  
hair, monitoring her here, and Andrew, a handsome, brown-haired one performing a good deal of  
the work, this was something she could handle. Provided, of course, that she not try to sing.   
Monica's dancing skills were good, but her singing demonstrated why the Bible spoke only of  
making a "joyful noise" unto the Lord.  
Pam shook hands, introducing her daughters. "Hi, I'm Pam Tanner, and this is Stephanie and  
DJ." They shook hands. "Have you worked in dance long?"  
"I guess you could say I've been dancing on the clouds for a long time," Monica noted.  
Stephanie wrinkled her nose. "Why don't you fall through when you do it?"  
Pam uttered a delighted giggle. "That's just a saying, dear. It means she's very graceful."  
"You must be great, then. That's the way I want to be," DJ proclaimed.  
Pam explained "My darling DJ always wants to be the best. I have the three most beautiful  
daughters in the world." She led Monica over to a bassinet, where Michelle slept. "That's  
Michelle."  
The baby grinned broadly even though she was sleeping. Monica grinned back. It was true,  
the angel considered, sometimes the broad smile of a baby during sleep meant they were seeing  
angels. "Oh, she's adorable."  
"And I'm the bestest big sister in the world," exclaimed DJ.  
Stephanie piped up "And so am I."  
  
Andrew and Jesse met in a law office Friday. Andrew played Monica's husband here, and  
would deal with the hardest issues of thsi case. This was his assignment, and he had a very  
interesting character to assist. The man in front of him, Pam's brother Jesse Katsopolis, had a  
very unusual request for this angel turned paralegal.  
"You want to legally change your name to Elvis Presley?" came Andrew's incredulous query.   
Tess had told him Jesse was a huge Elvis fan, but this was much more unusual than he could have  
imagined.  
Jesse leaned forward. "Is there something wrong with that?"  
Andrew tried to explain. "Well, normally name changes are fine, but...it's really too famous a  
name to use, no matter how much you respect the man..."  
"Hey, when it comes to music, he's the king. In fact, I might just move to Graceland after  
my name change."  
Andrew knew Jesse could get by with a stagey last name, and that he had his own singing  
career. Hence, he decided to try the extreme of what Jesse suggested. "You might just want to  
become Elvis if you're that serious. Except he's dead," noted the angel. That drawback, plus  
Jesse's singing career, should keep him from doing that, he posited.  
He was right. "Hey, Andrew, I've got my own music to think about. I can't actually be Elvis."  
Andrew grinned. "Exactly. So, why take his name?" He knew why; there was something  
missing in this man's heart. Something only God could fill; and would, in His own time. Until  
that more perfect plan was revealed - and Andrew didn't quite know what it was yet - he had to  
keep Jesse from going too far. "Look, take a different last name, one that's more stagey, for a  
while. That's what I'd recommend."  
Still stuck on Elvis, Jesse shook his head. "Yeah, but Jesse Presley just doesn't sound right."  
  
That Saturday, Tess walked backstage with Joey Gladstone and Danny. This was something  
Monica could handle, but Tess didn't want her overstretching herself. Also, she didn't want  
Monica making any mistakes, since Tess had now been told what was to happen, and had  
designed a plan to meet the needs of those involved. Monica would stay behind in the angelic  
realm and observe while her superior did this little piece.  
Joey asked Danny Tanner "You wanna hear my latest routine?"  
"Sure, let's hear it," came the sportscaster and father of three.  
"I'd like to hear it, too." Danny and Tess could sense great frustration in his voice.  
"You're on in fifteen minutes," Tess told them.  
Joey thanked her and complained that he didn't know what to do. "I think the most important  
thing is to appear all natural," Danny remarked.  
"You kidding? I could get arrested for that!"  
Tess chuckled. This man was funnier than he thought. He was just trying too hard. "Is there a  
problem, perhaps I can help."  
"He's having a mental block," Danny told her. "Well, more like the whole town, actually."  
The angel turned to Joey. "Well, perhaps you can picture the person who enjoys you the most  
sitting in the audience."  
The comedian answered quickly. "Oh, yeah; that'd be his wife Pam. She's home with the kids  
right now."  
"Well, if you envision her, what do you see," Tess asked him.  
Joey thought a moment. "With Michelle teething right now, I envision her with about twenty  
teething rings in her various pockets, causing everything else to spill out. And yet, still  
maintaining that great smile." That's what keeps me going sometimes, a big smile.  
"Well, see, you have something, then. You came up with a funny idea, and then you thought  
of the one thing that showed you your routine will be a success. Her smile."  
After another moment, Joey had to admit that wasn't a guarantee. "She giggles even when I'm  
bombing. Even after last night, when they gave me a new nickname."  
"What nickname is that?"  
"Hiroshima Gladstone," came the tired voice.  
Tess snickered. "Don't worry, Joey, you do have great talent. Though you may not know it,  
God has given you a wonderful gift."  
"I should look under the Christmas tree in Danny's attic, I must have missed a present."  
  
Pam, Danny, and the girls stood in the living room Tuesday. DJ held Michelle, but Stephanie  
insisted on having a turn at carrying the baby. She was almost five and a half, after all. "You're a  
little small to be carrying her yet, swwetheart," Danny told her.  
Pam took Michelle, who cooed at her. Pam cooed back. "Oh, Danny, I think if she's reeeeal  
careful, she can do it." She walked over to Stephanie. "Here you go, hold on very tight."  
She kept a hand on the infant until she could tell her middle daughter held her securely.   
Stephanie began to bounce with excitement; it was one of the first times she'd carried Michelle.   
Her mom was a little more willing to trust her than her dad, who tended to be a bit  
overprotective. Pam still required someone else be there to watch, of course, even if that  
someone was only DJ.  
"Don't bounce her too much," came the mother.  
"Why not?" Just as she said this, Michelle spit up on Stephanie. The little girl scrunched up  
her nose like a raisin. "Ewww, gross."  
DJ tried to lighten the mood to keep her younger sister happy. "It could be worse, yesterday  
she thought I was a toilet."  
Danny jokingly corrected her. "No she didn't, hon; she doesn't know what a toilet is yet. She  
thought you were a diaper." DJ made a face.  
"Oh, whatever it is," spoke Pam, brighening everyone's mood, "it's just like with you two  
girls. We put up with all that, because it's a joy to watch you grow."  
DJ chuckled. "Mom's right. You only have one baby throwing up on you, I've had two."  
Pam giggled even hardre now. "That's the spirit, DJ." Her husband remarked that it was so  
important to smile. "That's right, smiles are something you've got to give away."  
She and Danny hugged and kissed.  
"I have the shopping list all ready. You leave in a couple hours?"  
Danny nodded. "I know you'll be back well before then. If not, I have a list of sitters. Coded,  
alphabetized, and ranked, with serial numbers."  
The anxious five-year-old instatnly thought of breakfast. "What's a serial number, I want a  
serial number, Daddy." She didn't know what it was, but it sounded good.  
Pam grinned and told the girl "yours can be Froot Loops 1000."  
"It's actually just a number to identify you." DJ turned to Pam. "But I like your idea better,  
Mom."  
Pam hugged Stephanie after the girl gave Michelle to DJ. "So long, honey, I'll be back. I love  
you."  
"I love you too, Mommy."  
Pam next picked up Michelle and hugged her. "So long, Michelle, I love you. Mommy'll be  
back."  
Danny took her. "She loves you too, hon."  
Pam next hugged DJ. "I love you, I'll be back."  
"I love you too, Mom." She took Michelle.  
Danny promised the girls would be good.  
"It's hard, with school out, but I'm sure you'll find a way ti entertain them," Pam reassured him.  
The father and husband chose to admit "sometimes I feel like I'd be lost without you."  
"Yeah, but you know what? You've got a leg up on everyone." She threw herself into his  
arms, and they embraced as she spoke. " Cause you've got the best hugs in the world."  
"You're right. And a great big hug means more than anything sometimes. I love you."  
"I love you too."  
They kissed, and Pam walked toward the door.  
"Did you hear what Stephanie said last night, right after we sang "On Top of Spaghetti"? She  
said she knew what Heaven was like. She said it was a great big hug that lasts forever!"  
Danny grinned broadly. "That's beautiful. See you later."  
  
Andrew sighed deeply. Tess appeared behind him. "I know it's difficult, but these things  
happen all the time," she told him.  
"I know." He lowered his head. "It just seems like such a shame, they've got such a loving  
home right now, it's just so wonderful."  
Tess told him that's what God wanted him to see. "It helps you empathize better. That's  
what we need to help Monica see; I knew she could never handle this part."  
"It takes a special kind to be an angel of death. I'm just glad the Lord put His faith in me."   
He sighed as he watched a drunk driver smash into Pam's car. "But it's still hard to take." He  
looked up, and asked for strength and wisdom.  
  
Pam studdenly found herself standing in the midst of a bog. She couldn't figure out what had  
happened. One moment, she'd been driving along the road, then for an instant she thought  
something had impacted her car. She remembered no pain, no movement, nothing. She was just  
suddenly here.  
An ambulance crew was working on her lifeless body behind her. Andrew glowed amidst the  
sound of doves chirping to her right.  
"My, what was that?" Pam swivelled, stunned at the beautiful sounds all around her.   
"Who...what...?" She couldn't understand, but she felt neither fear, nor pain, nor sorrow when  
she noticed her body being frantically rushed away.  
Andrew explained. "I'm an angel. Sent by God to bring you home."  
"Home? But...my family, my children..."  
Andrew could understand the need for empathy at times like this. She was certainly not ready  
to die, but this was her time. "God has a more perfect plan. It's hard to understand sometimes, I  
know."  
"But it's already so perfect, I just had the most beautiful day yesterday with my girls, and this  
morning was so lovely..."  
She began to cry. Andrew wiped away her tears. They were not in Heaven yet, so there were  
still tears. It was moments like this that explained why the Bible said that the Lord would "wipe  
away every tear." Once one got to Heaven, there was no need for tears, but even though the  
sting of death was gone, concern for those left behind sometimes led to tears that must be wiped  
away.  
"It's okay, Pam. God's sending more angels to help. In fact, once I take you before the throne  
of Grace, I have to get back to help, too."  
A little more comfortable, Pam began to consider the things left undone in her life. So many  
people would need her who now couldn't rely on her. But, she knew the Lord was faithful.  
"Will you...will you make sure Danny's okay, he's going to be so heartbroken. And my girls,  
oh, they'll miss me so much. And my brother Jesse, he's rebelling again. And Joey, oh, he's  
having such troubles with his career. And...oh, there are so many who need me."  
Andrew grinned. He tried to make her understand what sometimes couldn't be understood  
until one was at the loving feet of the Almighty. "You might not have been able to help every  
one. But God has a plan to bring everything together for good." She seemed ready now, so  
Andrew took her hand. "Come on. I wanna take you up to get that big hug from God  
Almighty." He and she disappeared into eternity, as the angel considered how perfect that quote  
sounded. "As You say, Father, from the mouths of babes sometimes come gems."  
  
Danny read from a list of cleaning chores while Stephanie and DJ played outside. "Okay," he  
muttered to himself, "Michelle's down for another nap, and the girls are outside. I've got thirty  
minutes in which I can..."  
The phone interrupted him. He answered it on the second ring. "Hello, Tanner residence."   
The next words sent him into shock. Accident? Pam? "What?" Hospital? Dead...could it be?   
How could it? How could it be? "WHAT?!?! Are...are you sure...?" He suddenly broke down  
in huge sobs. "No, it can't be, it can't be..." Seconds later, he hung up the phone, walked to the  
kitchen table, collapsed in a chair, and began wailing.  
DJ was next door at her friend Kimmy Gibbler's. Stephanie, however, thought she heard  
crying. It sounded different than Michelle's, so she rushed inside. "What's wrong?"  
Danny didn't want her to have to call anyone. Nor did he want to have to tell her right away.   
He thought about asking her to take Michelle and go over to the Gibblers. However, he felt she  
should know something, somehow.  
Before he could decide what to do, the phone rang. Stephanie took it hesitantly. It was Pam  
and Jesse's mother, Irene. "Hi, Grandma...you'll be right over, both of you? And you're calling  
Granny Tanner up in Washington? Why are you crying...yes, Daddy's here. What is it?" The girl  
began weeping quickly. She was terrified not knowing the truth. She turned to her dad. "Daddy,  
why is everyone crying, we're usually so happy."  
"Dear..." He sat Stephanie on his lap and hugged her, holding on for dear life. He was scared,  
too, scared of losing anyone else. "Sweetheart...I'm afriad...your mother is dead." They cried on  
each other's shoulders for several moments. Stephanie ran upstairs as Danny called DJ and asked  
her to come home so he could tell her something. The oldest girl, ten, ran home when she heard  
her dad's teary voice. They cried for several minutes as well, as Stephanie rejoined them,  
clutching her favorite animal, a stuffed bear with a detective's outfit known as Mr. Bear. The  
Katsopolis' arrived a couple minutes later, and Danny and Nick Katsopolis went to the hospital.  
  
The next few hours whirled like a tornado. The trip to the hospital, the funeral home, the  
appearance of Danny's mother. Danny could hardly stand to leave the body. Pam needed to be  
prepared for the funeral, though, so he reluctantly agreed. As he walked out of the funeral home,  
despite the presence of Pam's parents and younger brother, he felt alone in the world. Grandma  
Tanner was watching the girls.  
That night, he sat in his room and wept. He picked up Pam's diary. "Yes," Tess whispered  
from the angelic realm, "Pam would want you to finish it. To write the final chapter on her  
wonderful life." He started to pick up a pen, then couldn't. Not now. Maybe tomorrow.  
He heard the older two crying with his mother. He went into Stephanie's room and wept with  
them for a while, but knew he had to remain strong. How could he lead if he wasn't? How could  
he lead anyway, he wondered.  
  
Danny, Jesse, and Joey sat down by the casket, in stunned silence the next day. Nick  
Katsopolis walked in. "They're saying Friday for the funeral...so some relatives from Greece can  
fly here."  
Danny nodded. His head was empty, his life barren. Pam had meant the world to him.  
He continued to sit by the casket as Jesse and Joey left. It was the Katsopolis' turn with the  
girls. Danny's mom sat with him for several minutes. "It's going to help the girls if they return to  
a normal schedule," she told him.  
"Yeah, Mom, I know," came the whisper. He knew he had to get on with raising them. But,  
he coudln't see how.  
"I know they have dance tomorrow, they both say they want to go."  
Tess was cleaning the funeral home and entered the room. She smiled at Danny, and put a  
hand on his shoulder. "I know it's hard. If there's any further way we can be of service..." she  
trailed off.  
Danny nodded. "Yeah...thanks. Mom, do you think you could take them, I...have some things  
I need to do."  
"You'll pick them up?"  
Danny wasn't sure. "Well, do you think you could do that too? I mean... There's just so  
much to think about. And yet, I feel like I just can't move." He began to weep again.  
Tess pulled a chair over and sat with him. She was glad Monica wasn't handling this part.   
Sometimes the auburn-haired angel was too blunt. Still, she could understand, she wasn't a helps  
angel yet, after all. She knew Monica could be a wonderful worker, given time.  
"You know," came Tess' soothing voice, "the key to getting moving again is sometimes just  
making the decision."  
"Yeah, I know." He sighed.  
"Your girls need you, too. They need to see their father isn't lost, as well. As much as you  
may feel lost, you're not," she said warmly.  
"I know, Mom's already said she'll stay a couple months and help. I'll go tomorrow, but..."   
Tess smiled and left. She could tell he'd resolved to at least move away from the casket the next  
day. She just hoped he could do so before then.  
Danny sat there for a couple more hours. Finally, with the home near closing, they had to drag  
him away from Pam's body. Heartbroken, he went back home to a meal from his mother.   
"Daddy, you made it," squealed a relieved Stephanie as she ran to him clutching Mr. Bear. Danny  
hugged both.  
As they embraced, DJ came out and hugged him, too. "Grandma said you had a lot to do  
today."  
"Yeah, yeah, I did." Like sit in front of the casket all day. How could he go on? He knew  
where she was, but he couldn't shake the feeling he would always miss her. The life that counted  
right now was this life, and there wouldn't be a moment that went by where he didn't. In Heaven,  
where time would be no more, they would laugh, and dance, and be together, but until time  
passed away, he would miss her. She would be in his heart forever.  
He promised his girls he would take them to dance class the next day, and pick them up. He  
had a lot to do in the meantime. After putting them to bed, he made sure they were asleep, then  
went into the couple's bedroom. He opened a drawer, and glanced at all their important papers.   
He couldn't sort through it. He was usually very organized, but not now. He simply grabbed a  
laundry bag and threw everything that was in their bureau into it. He swept everything off the  
dresser into it. He was glad he was doing this now. He never could do it after the funeral.  
He saw the diary again. The voice told him once more to put some closure on things. He  
opened it and began writing. He told bits and pieces about the accident, but not much. He  
couldn't stand to. Mostly, he wrote to the diary about how much he would miss her. He didn't  
write about Heaven. Truth be told, he was scared. Scared that if he thought of Heaven too  
much, he might want to go there with her now. And, he knew he had to stay and take care of the  
girls.  
He did mention that, writing of the need to go on, and of the difficulty in doing that. He knew  
something had to happen, but he didn't know what.  
  
Andrew worked as a paralegal in a law office. The next morning, Jesse walked into the office  
and sat. He looked like a carbon copy of Elvis Presley.  
"Hey, I've decided to take your advice, maybe I do wanna be Elvis," he remarked casually.   
His voice even sounded like Elvis'.  
Andrew could tell the man had some serious trouble dealing with his grief. However, he knew  
addressing that right away could cause further problems. "You sure do look like him," was all he  
would say.  
"Thank ya, thank ya, thank ya very much."  
At this moment, Danny walked in, sobbing and carrying his laundry bag of stuff. He'd  
managed to drop the girls off without crying, but just barely.  
He sat the bag on top of the plethora of papers piled on Andrew's desk. "I know I'm early.   
But I need you to go through this, I can't look at it anymore."  
Andrew pulled out a 1986 World Series ticket. He knew Danny could be helped with a small  
joke. "Bill Buckner's error hurt you that much?"  
Danny managed a slight grin, which pleased Andrew. "No, that just fell in there. It's not  
important. The rest is...Pam's." He began to sniffle.  
Jesse slightly stunned Andrew by referring to himself in the third person. "That's his wife,  
Jesse's sister. She died two days ago."  
Before Andrew could say anything, he decided to let Danny speak. Jesse needed to be  
reminded of those around who still loved him. He was clearly trying very hard to suppress his  
grief, out of some macho attempt not to cry.  
Danny shook his head. "I just know I'm never gonna feel like it after the funeral. That's all  
our bank books, insurance papers, everything. I'll pay whatever fees there are, but I don't even  
want to hear about what's going on." Andrew nodded. This was common with widows and  
wodowers. "Just make me out a will that leaves... "  
Danny finally noticed Jesse's strange attire, and looked at him oddly. Andrew hoped Danny  
would make some sort of comment about it.  
"Yes?" came the Elvis voice.  
"What is this, I don't wanna let Elvis be the guardian of my daughters," proclaimed Danny. He  
had thought Jesse could make a good dad, but if he was going to act like this, he didn't want to  
take the chance.  
Andrew chose to interject, so Danny could better grasp what Jesse was doing. "It's hard for  
all of us to deal with, I know."  
"I sat by the casket all day yesterday, they had to pull me away. I've cried so much, but yet I  
know I have to be strong for the girls," came their father.  
Andrew was glad to hear this. He knew from Tess' report that Danny was humble enough to  
admit his mistakes. Because of this, he might be useful in helping Jesse turn around.  
The angel spoke. "You have to let them see you dealing with grief, though. Because they're  
grieving just as much, and they don't know what to do." Andrew hoped Jesse got the message.   
To ensure he did, Andrew glanced Jesse's way and spoke to Danny. "Would you want them to  
think he's normal?"  
Danny sighed, managing a slight grin. "No, I guess not. It's hard to imagine a preteen Elvis  
impersonater."  
  
At the end of dance class neared, Monica noticed Stephanie crying on Rachel's shoulder, a girl  
about the same age. Tess appeared in the angelic realm, visible only to her underling.  
"Are you sure I shoulnd't go to help?" came Monica's query.  
"Angel baby, often it's best if people do the work. We just want to help, not do everything."  
Rachel spoke as she hugged her. "It's gonna be okay, Stephanie."  
Thank you, Rachel," spoke Monica, "for providing her with such a loving shoulder to cry on."  
"Shoulder? My whole side's gonna be soaked," Rachel said matter of factly.  
Danny arrived from viewing the gravesite to pick the girls up and take them home. His mom  
was watching Michelle. He picked up Stephanie and cuddled her. "Unnh, hey, Steph, how'd it  
go?"  
Monica answered for her. "She cried quite a bit. Still, I think it was good to get her here, and  
back to a normal routine."  
"Yeah, that's what my mom said. Where's DJ?"  
"In the back with friends. She seems like she's trying to hold in her tears," Monica noted,  
attempting to be subtle like Tess had told her. She sincerely hoped Danny got the hint.  
"I think that's normal at her age," came the confused voice. "Isnt it?" He shook his head. "Or  
is it? Oh, I feel so lost now." Monica told him she knew it was hard.  
Danny told her his friend Joey was sitting in the car. DJ walked out and got a hug from Danny  
after he put Stephanie down. "Come on, let's go home."  
"Dad, I don't like it there anymore," DJ admitted.  
"It doesn't feel the same without Mom, does it?"  
DJ shook her head and sighed. "No. It's too lonesome. I don't ever want to go back again."  
"Well, come on, let's try it, anyway." He would have said that Pam would want them to, but  
he was afraid if he mentioned her name, he'd start to cry once more.  
Monica spoke softly. "Don't worry, dear, this too shall pass." Turning to Danny, she  
explained "that's normal, for her to think that. She does need to express her grief, but it could be  
a lot worse."  
Danny found room to grin slightly. "Yeah, she could be trying to be an Elvis clone." Inside,  
he wondered if there was hope for Jesse. No, he told himself, first I have to take care of my girls.   
He can wait, he's a grown man.  
  
Danny and Joey sat in the kitchen the evening after the funeral. The girls were in bed.   
"Thanks for cancelling your act and coming to stay with me," the dad told Joey.  
Joey, too, was depressed. "Hey, that's okay, my acts have been flops lately, anyway. I think  
I'm ready to quit show business."  
"Come on, Joey, just because people call you Hiroshima, and they make those funny whistling  
sounds when you show up?"  
They're not funny whistling sounds," Joey insisted. "They go like this." He made a perfect  
impression of a bomb falling and exploding with much force.  
To Joey's delight, Danny chuckled. "Thanks, Joey. That's about the first time I've laughed  
since Pam died."  
"And probably the first time you've said her name without crying," added his friend.  
Danny agreed. Stephanie walked into the kitchen clutching Mr. Bear, and sat on Danny's lap.   
"What is it, hon?"  
"I miss Mommy," whined the five-year-old.  
"We all do, sweetheart," Joey told her.  
Stephanie made a big frown. "I didn't like that today when they put her in that hole.   
Mommy's not a plant."  
Danny hugged her tightly. "That wasn't your Mommy's body anymore, her soul went up to  
Heaven, and she got a new body." He sighed. He was happy to be able to say that without  
weeping. And, he hadn't thought of how nice it would be to join her. Maybe he could get  
through this.  
Joey impersonated Popeye. "That's right, me girl, now she's as good as new. And she won't  
never wear out, neither." Stephanie laughed, though her lips couldn't quite manage a smile.  
"See, you made someone laugh," encouraged Danny.  
Joey wished he could cheer DJ up like that. "Maybe I can, but...it's just so hard without Pam.   
Her smiles always brightened my day."  
Stephanie gave a half smile. She loved helping people, and always loved to smile normally,  
because she was usually so excited about things. However, she had to admit "that's the best I can  
do right now."  
"Thanks, that still helps," Joey replied.  
  
Several days later, Andrew and Monica walked up to the door. Jesse was in the house looking  
exactly like Elvis. Joey, Danny, and DJ were there, too.  
Jesse held out a hand. "Look, I'm tellin' ya, man, I'm fine; if I wanna be Elvis I can be.  
"Jess, that's not what Pam would want, and you know it." Danny went to the door after  
hearing the doorbell. He letAndrew and Monica in. "Hi, Andrew, hi, Monica."  
"Monica." DJ ran and hugged Monica. She was so glad to have had a friend like her to  
confide in the previous week. Monica seemed so loving and caring.  
You guys must be husband and wife, huh? Hey, listen, the girls tell me they've really loved  
having you as a dance instructor the past week," Danny told Monica.  
"Thanks." The angel was already anxious to show who she really was. Tess, waiting in the  
background, told her to hold off a while.  
Andrew pulled out some papers. He'd been quite impressed with how organized everything  
had been. After only about a week, once he went through the bag, they'd been able to do  
everything needed. Transferring titles into Danny's name, preparing all the proper estate forms,  
and writing a new will. "My boss got all the court stuff done, I brought the papers for you to  
sign." He turned to Joey. "Oh, have we met?"  
Joey shook hands with Andrew. "I'm Joey Gladstone, I'm Danny's best friend."  
"Pleased to meet you." He asked where Danny's mom was. Danny told him she was out  
shopping. "And you still want Joey as guardian now, or Elvis there?" That was one part that  
needed done on the will yet. Andrew hoped that might give Jesse some incentive to become Jesse  
again.  
It did. Jesse hummed a moment. "Well, now...just what would being guardian involve?"  
"If anything happened to me, you'd take the children," explained Danny.  
Jesse felt enthused about it, except for one thing. He had no clue about handling babies.   
"Gee, I'm honored, but... Can DJ and Steph do diapers?"  
DJ announced that she could.  
"Maybe I don't need to be Elvis, then. Although...man, that's a big challenge."  
Stephanie came down the steps holding Mr. Bear. "What's a big challenge?"  
"Raising you three. But don't worry, I'm not planning on leaving for a long time," her dad  
reassured her.  
"What a relief," remarked Stephanie.  
Monica spoke warmly to Jesse. "I know you're probably scared because of your sister's  
passing, aren't you, Jesse?"  
Tess smiled in the angelic background. Monica always got right to the heart of things.  
Jesse shook his head. "Who, me? Come on."  
Andrew assured him it was okay to be scared, and sad. "It was a very tragic thing."  
"Yeah, I mean, I'm even real sad, and I'm not related," Joey confessed.  
"Neither is Elvis, what's he doing here?" Stephanie wondered.  
"That's just your Uncle Jesse," Danny told her. "He's trying to hide his grief behind a bunch of  
sequins and hairspray."  
"Hey, the outfit might not be me, but don't criticize the hair," Jesse emphasized. "I'm gonna  
have to talk to it a whole hour longer now just to build its confidence back up."  
Monica tried to help him feel more secure about himself. "I bet you're a great uncle, Jesse."  
DJ nodded. "Yeah, and Joey's a great Joey, too."  
"Thanks." Joey reflected on the warmth and friendship he felt there. "This is the one place  
where I really feel secure. People laugh, and I just naturally create good stuff. Even last Friday  
night, I made Stephanie laugh."  
Jesse took off his Elvis coat, revealing a t-shirt. He flung the coat on the couch. "Yeah, I  
guess I don't need to be Elvis. But, I would kind of like a stage name for a while. Like Cochran,  
I was thinking."  
"That's fine, but don't hide your grief behind that," Andrew told him.  
"Andrew's right, the grieving process takes a long time; you may find you miss her months,  
even years later." Monica added that "if it doesn't start now, all that will build up, and be a whole  
lot worse."  
Stephanie made a funny offer. To her, of course, it was perfectly normal. "You can stay and  
talk to Mr. Bear, Uncle Jesse. He helps me a lot."  
Andrew laughed. From the mouths of babes again, he said to himself. Although it was quite  
for the reason Stephanie said, the idea had lots of merit. "I'm sure that's a big help for you. You  
know, that's an idea that we had, too."  
"Yes, I think if you were to move in with Danny for a while, you too, Joey, it would work  
out wonderfully," Monica concurred.  
DJ wasn't sure. "If you're trying to make it more crowded, I just hate living here now. I don't  
think it would make it feel any less lonesome if you moved a thousand people here."  
"What if you had a thousands bears?" Stephanie wondered.  
"I think what DJ really needs," said Andrew, "is to talk, and cry about it a while."  
"He's right, we've all cried quite a bit. Even me," Danny admitted.  
"You have?" DJ thought a moment, then spoke slowly. "I guess I thought that was just for  
little girls."  
"I have, honey." He begins weeping again. "I just didn't want you to see me." They cried and  
hugged for a few moments.  
Joey spoke somberly afterward. "I'm glad you're letting it out. With all those tears you've got,  
somebody better be building an ark."  
"Yeah. Hey, Mommy can talk to Noah and all those other people now," Stephanie shouted,  
suddenly realizing it.  
DJ sniffled. "That's so easy for you to say, you're little. You still have faith."  
"But it's true," Monica remarked.  
When DJ asked how she could know, Andrew explained. "Because we're angels." Monica  
and Andrew both brightened and glowed greatly. Fabulous sounds of doves appeared around  
them. Stephanie jumped excitedly.  
"Whoa, baby," remarked Danny.  
"Have mercy!" shouted Jesse.  
"Oh wow!" came Stephanie excited voice.  
Monica spoke. "Pam is with God right now. And it does feel just like a great big hug to her."  
Danny smiled sadly. "One that will last forever."  
Andrew lowered his head, then raised it, speaking somberly. "I'm the angel that took her to  
see the Lord. And she wanted to make sure each of you was okay."  
Danny insisted that somebody wake Michelle. "She should see this, too." Joey and Stephanie  
ran off. Danny suddenly got tongue tied as he pondered the accident. "Did He know this  
would...I mean..."  
"Yes, He knew." Monica told him it did seem very unfair to people on Earth. "But we all  
have a set amount of time to live. If that man hadn't chosen to drink of his own will, it could have  
been something else."  
Andrew continued for her. "The Lord has something special in mind, and getting you all to  
live together is just part of it."  
"So it's really true?" DJ wondered. "All lthose stories Mom would tell about Heaven?"  
Monica told her the Bible lessons were true. "The ones about what people do up there came  
from her imagination. The truth is even more fabulous than she could have ever told."  
Stephanie follwed Joey downstairs. Joey carried a sleepy Michelle down. The baby instantly  
perked up upon seeing the angels.  
"Look, Michelle," Stephanie shrieked with excitement. "Angels!" Michelle smiled broadly at  
them.  
"But there's one thing your mom was right about," Monica told the girls. "And that is that the  
way to show a little bit of Heaven on earth is to give away smiles, and hugs, and love. Because  
God is love."  
Stephanie looked like she was ready to cry again. She hated to see these angels go. She knew  
little except that her mother would never return. She hoped they could deliver something to her.   
"Before you go...could you just tell my Mommy I love her, and I miss her?"  
"We will, dear," promised Andrew.  
"She can see you, dear. She knows how much each of you love her; even little Michelle,"  
Monica spoke joyfully.  
Jesse thought for a moment. He figured once he got some things settled, in a couple months,  
he could move in. Joey told them he was considering the same thing. Maybe the next time he ran  
out of clean clothes, he joked.  
It sounded very intriguing to Jesse. He just wasn't sure why. He wished he could understand  
it. Maybe the angels could help him. "You know...I've always thought everything happens for a  
reason. If all of us moving in here is part of it...What about my career, what about years down the  
road? Ciould you give me a hint, at least?"  
Monica smiled. Each of them wanted something that would increase their understanding - DJ  
wondering if it was true about Heaven, Danny asking "why" after a tragic death, Stephanie  
wanting to just say hello to her mommy. But, Jesse's was the most common thing she thought  
people would ask if they had a chance to question Heavenly beings. A glimpse of the future, an  
answer to the question "why am I here."  
She couldn't reveal too much. What she did, she told him. "All I can say is, you're going to  
have a very full house. Full of love and joy." 


End file.
